Chapter 1
Dad acted swiftly, immediately shutting down the private airport and arranging a fleet of cars to pick me up. Meanwhile, the celebration at the venue continued. Ethan even posted a group photo in the company chat:[]
“We’re already at the airport. Thank you all for your hard work today. Rest up and take care!“]
The chat instantly buzzed with excitement:]
“Did you see the group photo? Where is that? It looks so luxurious!“]
“That’s the Smith family’s private tarmac! Do you know how exclusive that place is? It’s not about money; you need status
to set foot there!”
“Ms. White and our boss are such a perfect match. Did you see them on stage today? I was so moved I could hardly
breathe!”
Moved? All I felt was revulsion.[]
Ethan tried to explain it away to the team, claiming it was just a moment of uncontrollable excitement and asking
everyone not to misunderstand. As for Alice White, she even had the audacity to grab my hand afterward, pretending to be concerned:[]
“Don’t take it to heart. It was just a polite expression of emotion.“]
But the company was already abuzz with speculation.[]
Soon, a group of senior employees gathered around me, speaking loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear:[]
“Ms. White is capable, comes from an influential family–she’d make the perfect wife for our boss. Imagine how far we’d all soar with her by his side!“]
“But there’s someone stubbornly clinging to her spot, a parasite dragging things down.“[]
I clenched my fists tightly. Before I could respond, the intern who usually shadowed me leaned over and whispered, “Ms. Smith, don’t listen to them. You’re the one who truly deserves to be the boss’s wife.“[]
Ten years. For ten years, I had silently supported Ethan as he built this company from the ground up. I even sought help from my parents, securing critical resources for him behind the scenes. And yet, not just Ethan, but this entire company now treated me like I was disposable.
They mocked me, calling me a parasite, accusing me of clinging to him and using marriage as a bargaining chip. They ridiculed me for allegedly pressuring him to marry me.]
And I tolerated it all–for the sake of harmony, for the sake of his dream, which I once believed in too.[]
Because the company was Ethan’s life. And once upon a time, it was mine as well.[]
“Mia, let’s call the company Miathan,” he once said.[]
“Why that name?” I had teased. “Something like Forty Thieves sounds more fun–your last idea came straight out of a fairy tale!“]
The IPO Kiss! He Retraved Ma
Chapter 1
He’d touched his nose to mine in that affectionate way of his. “Naughty girl,” he murmured.
His warmth surrounded me as I responded softly, “I understand your intentions. The name contains a part of both of us: ‘Mia‘ and ‘Ethan.“]
“Mia,” he had said, his voice thick with emotion, “this company is like our child.“]
Back then, his embrace felt like the entire world to me.]
“Ethan, now that the company is up and running, your dream has come true. Can we… get married?” I had asked hopefully.
My parents had only one condition: I couldn’t reveal my true identity before the wedding. It was their final request. We had been together for two years, and I was eager to give them an answer.]
“Mia, there’s no rush. When the company goes public, I’ll give it to you as a wedding gift. How about that?”
Going public–starting from scratch, with no money or connections–seemed like an impossible dream.]
But the determination in his eyes made me nod and agree.]
It’s been ten years. Even a dog would inspire feelings of attachment after that long. So how did it come to this? When did I become nothing more than a trivial existence to Ethan?]
“Everyone, I am officially resigning!” I typed, sending my final message to the group chat. Then, I exited the group.
Dad’s chauffeur had arrived by then–actually, it wasn’t just a chauffeur but an entire fleet of luxury cars.[]
“Mia, should we head to the hotel to collect your belongings?” the lead driver asked respectfully.[]
“No need. Just drive.” Everything here had been tainted. Nothing was worth bringing along.]
“Understood, Mia. We’ll proceed directly to the Smith family tarmac. Your plane is already waiting for you there.“[]
